With the 2024 presidential election less than two months away, Donald Trump experienced another close call over the weekend. On Sunday, news broke that gunshots had been fired near Trump’s Florida golf course, and though the former president was safe, the FBI later released a statement confirming that it appeared to be an “attempted assassination.” Now that the suspect has been arrested and charged, here’s what we know about the situation, which is still developing.
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The apparent assassination attempt took place on Sunday afternoon.
According to USA Today, Trump was golfing at the Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach around 2 p.m. when gunshots were fired nearby. At the time, police said a man stuck a rifle through a fence at the golf course, and when the Secret Service saw what was happening, the man fled in a black Nissan.
The suspect was later identified as 58-year-old Ryan Routh.
The state attorney for Palm Beach County, David Aronberg, told USA Today that an AK-47 rifle had been recovered at the scene.
Following the attempt, Trump’s campaign sent out an email that included a message from the former president.
“My resolve is only stronger after another attempt on my life!” he said. “I will never slow down. I will never give up. I WILL NEVER SURRENDER!”
Routh was arrested.
Shortly afterward, Routh was detained, and on Monday, he was charged with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, as Politico reported. Court records revealed that police believe that Routh had been waiting at the golf course for as long as 12 hours, and he is currently being held without bond until his detention hearing, which is set for September 23.
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Routh's rifle did not have a visible serial number.
According to NBC News, Routh told the court on Monday that he has no money, save for two cars that are worth $1,000 each, and is a dad to a 25-year-old son.
Though his account on X (formerly Twitter) has since been deactivated, the outlet reports that he tweeted to show his disapproval of Trump in 2020. At the time, he wrote, “@realDonaldTrump While you were my choice in 2106 [sic], I and the world hoped that president Trump would be different and better than the candidate, but we all were greatly disappointment and it seems you are getting worse and devolving; are you retarded; I will be glad when you gone [sic].”
The FBI's investigation into the incident is ongoing.
On Monday, Trump’s campaign asked for increased Secret Service security, though it’s not clear if that request has been approved. A source told NBC News that his security was already “dramatically increased” after the July shooting at a Trump rally that killed one person and injured two others. The source added that increasing security further would require congress to approve additional funding.
